1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image information reproducing apparatus, and, more particularly, to an image information reproducing apparatus which reproduces image information based on a signal read from a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, DVDs (Digital Video Disks) and systems which reproduce recorded information therefrom have become quite popular.
As a general-purpose disk type recording medium, a DVD has capacity to record the largest amount of information which we have not obtained until now, and attempts are being made to improve reading techniques which are adapted to the DVD. By using the DVD, a sufficient amount of information, such as image data, voice data and computer data, can be recorded and the recorded information can be reproduced certainly. Further, there is a possibility that DVDs will be extensively used in other technical fields different from the current technical fields.
So far, however, DVDs have often been used in a limited manner, such as reproduction of only recorded information, and it has been unsuccessful to make sufficient use of inherent merits of DVDs.
Although packaged media such as a DVD are popularized, they are not extensively utilized in various application fields.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image information reproducing apparatus which can make good use of image information recording media and a scheme of reproducing recorded information from the recording media.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an image information reproducing apparatus for reproducing image information based on a read signal acquired from an image information recording medium, which comprises original image generation means for reproducing a video signal carrying an original image from the read signal; manually-input image generation means for preparing a manually-input image to be superimposed on the original image in accordance with an operational input, thereby generating a manually-input image signal; mixing means for generating a mixed image signal carrying a mixed image having the manually-input image superimposed on the original image, based on the video signal and the manually-input image signal; and storage means for storing the manually-input image signal in association with address information in the recording medium of a video signal corresponding to the original image on which the manually-input image is superimposed.
The image information reproducing apparatus may further comprise control means for acquiring, as a reproduction address, the address information in the recording medium of the video signal generated by the original image generation means, and, when the reproduction address matches with the address information stored in the storage means, reading a manually-input image signal corresponding to the matched address from the storage means and supplying the read manually-input image signal to the mixing means.
The storage means may store the manually-input image signal in association with identification information of a recording medium carrying a video signal corresponding to the original image on which the manually-input image is superimposed, and when the identification information, stored in association with the manually-input image signal corresponding to the matched address, is equivalent to a recording medium which is a current reading target, the control means may supply the manually-input image signal to the mixing means.
The storage means may store the manually-input image signal further in association with creator identification information of the manually-input image, and when the creator identification information, stored in association with the manually-input image signal corresponding to the matched address, is equivalent to a creator which is a reproduction target, currently set by a user, the control means may supply the manually-input image signal to the mixing means.
For each manually-input image signal, the storage means may store display control information indicating whether or not a manually-input image of that manually-input image signal should automatically be superimposed on the original image, and when the display control information, stored in association with the manually-input image signal corresponding to the matched address, indicates superimposition of the manually-input image, the control means may supply the manually-input image signal to the mixing means.
For each manually-input image signal, the storage means may store selective superimposition control information indicating that a manually-input image of that manually-input image signal should be superimposed on the original image in accordance with a result of user selection, and when the selective superimposition control information, stored in association with the manually-input image signal corresponding to the matched address, is significant, the control means may supply the manually-input image signal to the mixing means in accordance with a result of user selection.
The storage means may store the manually-input image signal further in association with still image mode information indicating whether or not a reproduction mode of the video signal has been set to a still image reproduction mode immediately before generation of the mixed image signal in the mixing means, and when the still image mode information, stored in association with the manually-input image signal corresponding to the matched address, indicates the still image reproduction mode, the control means may control the reproduction mode of the video signal to be the still image reproduction mode.
For each predetermined group of manually-input image signals, the storage means may store group-by-group display control information indicating whether or not manually-input images of that group of manually-input image signals should be superimposed on the original image, and when the group-by-group display control information, stored in association with a predetermined group of manually-input image signals corresponding to the matched address, indicates superimposition of the manually-input images, the control means may supply the manually-input image signal to the mixing means.
Further, storage contents of the storage means can be changed in accordance with an operational input or can be displayed in response to an operational input.